If people flocked to California in the 1849 for the Gold Rush, they came to West Blocton in the 1880s for the coal rush. Between 1880 and 1900, Bibb County’s population doubled as a result of mine development in the Cahaba basin. Mel Allen, broadcaster for the New York Yankees, was raised in West Blocton. Sammie Lee Hill, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lio
ns, was born in West Blocton in 1986. He is a graduate of West Blocton High School and Stillman College. Colonel James B. Swindal (1917-2006), U.S. Air Force, pilot of Air Force One during the administrations of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson; including Texas trip during which Kennedy was assassinated. A feature-length documentary, West Blocton: Small Town, Big Heart, was made in 2012 by Michael J. Logan, an independent filmmaker whose family is from the town. The film covers the history of West Blocton from its inception in 1884 as a coal mining town until present day. Near 1883 The first mine near Blocton opened called No. 1 Mine. The No. 1 Mine also mustered a ball team in the nineties (1890's) It was called the Blocton team and it's fame reached far and wide. Some times an excursion train would carry the team to Bessemer, Montevallo, Aldrich, Randolph and other places. The players were: Joe Smith, first base: H. Farrah, second base: Fred Lawley, third base: Bob Burton, right field: Louie Farrah, left field: Albert Bracknell, center field; Charley Fuller, short stop; Pat Finnen, pitcher, and Joe Sansing, catcher and DeWitt Edmonds, utility man. Near 1929:
"The community took pride in the thrice-weekly appearance of the West Blocton String Ban led by George Deerman on Station WAPI in Birmingham. Other members were Henry Fayette, the Fitts brothers, Fred Henderson, Curtis Martin, and Will Finnen. Their introduction to WAPI was in January 1929 by T. T. Dison, Majest radio dealer in West Blocton."
